Unapologetic

Barbadian singer Rihanna released her seventh studio album Unapologetic on November 19, 2012, via Def Jam Recordings, SRP Records, and Roc Nation. She recorded the project between June and November of that year while promoting her previous work, Talk That Talk. Serving as executive producer, she gathered a mix of longtime partners like The-Dream, David Guetta, Chase & Status, and Stargate alongside fresh voices such as Parker Ighile, Mike Will Made It, and Labrinth. This collection of twenty tracks leans heavily into pop, synth-pop, and R&B, yet it weaves in hip hop, electronic dance music, dubstep, rock, and reggae to merge sounds from her earlier records Loud and Rated R.

Critics offered mixed reactions, praising the interesting production while noting weak lyrics and a rushed feel. Despite the divided reviews, the record won Best Urban Contemporary Album at the 2014 Grammy ceremony, and "Stay" earned a nomination for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance.

Commercially, the album proved massive. It debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 with first-week sales of 238,000 copies, marking Rihanna's first chart-topper in the United States and her biggest sales week ever. It also hit number one in the UK, Norway, and Switzerland, becoming her third, fourth, and fifth consecutive top spot in those regions. The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry ranked it the ninth best-selling album globally for 2012 with 2.3 million copies sold, and total worldwide sales reached over four million by December 2014. Six singles emerged from the project, led by the global hits "Diamonds" and "Stay". "Diamonds" reached number one on both the UK Singles Chart and the US Billboard Hot 100, giving Rihanna her twelfth chart-topper and tying her with Madonna and the Supremes for fourth place all-time.

Before the release, she launched the 777 Tour, performing seven concerts in seven days across North America and Europe. She later followed up with the Diamonds World Tour to support the full project. [edit]